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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Rudolph neglect to tell Father Schwartz about what had happened with his friends in the barn?

2. How does Rudolph plan to avoid taking communion the day after he confesses to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

3. What is Rudolph's emotional state while he sits with Father Schwartz at the start of the story?

4. What does Rudolph think will happen if he takes communion the day after he confesses to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

5. Why is Rudolph upset at the end of his confession with Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What plan does Rudolph come up with at the end of Chapter 2 to avoid having to take communion at church the next day?

2. Who is Blatchford Sarnmenington? What happens when Rudolph thinks of him?

3. What questions does Father Schwartz ask Rudolph when he says he has committed a terrible sin?

4. What does Father Schwartz tell Rudolph he should have done when he was in the barn with the boy and the girl?

5. What sin did Rudolph finally confess to Father Schwartz after he "exhausted the minor offenses" (6)?

6. What did Rudolph try to force himself to do as he waited at the confessional in Chapter 2?

7. What words does Father Schwartz use when addressing Rudolph in the confessional in Chapter 2?

8. What object in Father Schwartz's room reminds him of "gruesome labyrinths" (1)? Why does he stare at this object in the first place?

9. What is Father Schwartz's mood at the start of the story? How do you know?

10. Who is Rudolph Miller? How does Father Schwartz behave when he first comes to his house in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay discussing the setting and time period of "Absolution." In what ways does the time period and setting impact your understanding of the story as well as the themes?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the ending of "Absolution." How did the ending fit into the storyline? Do you think the ending was effective? What theme might the ending represent? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Fitzgerald's language style and word choice in "Absolution." What are some words that stand out to you and why? What words are repeated? What words are most impactful? Explain your answers.

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